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More People Riding Amtrak Trains

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DETROIT (WWJ) It looks like more people these days are hopping on the train. Over 130,000 people rode the Amtrak routes from Detroit and Pontiac to Chicago in the final three months of last year, an increase of over 22 percent.

Amtrak says the amount of money gained from tickets increased even more, up 26 percent. Ridership and revenue soared on Michigan’s three Amtrak routes during the first quarter of fiscal year 2011, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT).

It is a transportation option that Michiganders have grown to appreciate,” said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. “The interest and publicity about high-speed rail has also played a role in the increased growth of train travel in Michigan.”

Overall, these percentage increases were among the best in the nation on Amtrak corridor services.